Human, Financial, and Moral Cost of the Iraq War - Essay Example

?THE HUMAN, FINANCIAL AND MORAL COST OF IRAQ WAR The causes for US- Iraq war (2003 has been a matter of controversy. While the popular belief goes that Iraq has violated resolution 1441(2002) of U.N. Security Council, obligations on disarmament. Prior to it, Iraq had also violated 678(1990) and 687 (1991). In addition to this, UNSCOM, UNMOVIC, IAEA and UN Security Council have accused Iraq of non- cooperation (Weller, and Mark, 182-183.). The Iraq- Us war has been one of the disastrous wars of recent times. Several have taken place from the time to time in the Middle East. But somehow the US- Iraq war remains the most significant of them all. US formed alliance with Israel to accomplish this mission against Iraq. The war had changed many aspects in both the countries. In Iraq, US dominion was started which continued till date. After it lost the war, it came under direct control of US government. Presently, Iraq is facing the terrible consequences of war. It had lost its secular state, its welfare limited and its dignity lost. But on the other hand, US too had to pay a certain price for the win. Apart from war casualties, it had faced a huge blow from economic point of view. In Iraq, the US motto was not to end the reign of Saddam Hussein, but something more than that. Surely, it had won the war, but at price which often shocked the rest of the world. US army, even the high- order military personnel illegitimately arrested innocent civilians, killed them, deported them and often even tortured them to death. Thus, total loss incurred can broadly be divided into three segments: human loss, financial loss and physical loss. Numerous surveys and researches have attempted to find out the exact number of death causalities in Iraq. The US have followed the Vietnamese model of not counting the total number of dead, likewise, they have not provided actually number of civilian dead (Steele, and Goldenberg) The war has surely increased violence all over Iraq, which is continues till date. The Iraq Body Count (IBC) has claimed that there have been 1,220,580 victims, including war period and post war casualties, with a majority of the families losing more than one family member. Yet other sources like Baltimore/ Lancelet figure claims that Iraq has experienced more deaths. According to Frederick “Skip” Burkle, the survey had deliberately ignored the number of deaths caused by secondary causalities. Insufficient health- services, unemployment, poverty, loss of family and emotional loss, etc also lead to death of thousands of Iraqis. Civilian death in Iraq numbers somewhere around 104,000 with another 230,000 reported as missing. But all the sources unanimously agree to the fact that the war with US has devastated Iraq, making it struggling hard for survival and sustenance. US was also affected claiming 4000 lives, though the number much less compared to Iraq’s (Steele and Goldenberg). Another situation of human loss occurred when hundreds of thousands of Iraqis fled from their homeland. The chief reason behind this was terror, bloodshed and tyranny inflicted by the US soldiers. The political unrest made the lives of Iraqis so difficult that they sought refuge in other parts of the globe, especially in Jordan and Syria, who is Iraq’s neighboring countries. This was further confirmed by the Iraqi Exodus video which states that Iraqi immigrants have increased the total population of these two countries. However, lives of those new immigrants were not easy. They are facing more hardships because of lack of work permit and shelter (Benson). However, it has to be remembered that that the US- Iraq war not only carries superficial financial loss, but also macroeconomic costs. The war has resulted in higher consumption of resources, than that was estimated before the war started in 2003. Oil prices shot from $23 in 2003 to $90 in US, as an aftermath of US- Iran war. Firstly, war hampered the regular supply of oil from Middle East countries including Iraq and Iran. Secondly, war increased consumption of resources in US, making it shell out extra $25 billion annually, the conservative and moderate estimates being $175 billion in 7 years and $400 billion in 8 years respectively. Moreover, increased prices have decreased purchasing powers of US citizens. Reduced aggregate demand has also reduced GDP, grossly estimated to be $150 billion annually (Spratt, et al., 57). It is estimated that approximately, the war had altogether cost more than 200$ billion (Spratt, et al. 58). Bloodsheds, violence and torture have always been traumatic. Civilians and soldiers alike face this trauma and the prick of conscience. In Iraq war one finds the heights of moral loss. In the article The Things Bush Didn’t say in His Speech highlights certain facts that otherwise would have remained unknown to the world. The article has extensively stated the harsh realities and practices and the nightmarish experiences of the war prisoners at the hands of US military. The prisoners in Abu Gharib were denied their basic fundamental rights and were tortured to such a degree beyond any expression. Not only were they tortured inside the prison bars but also during the interrogation process. They were also made to do objectionable things like having sex with other prisoners and were also raped, tortured and abused. It all happened right under the nose of the American company which was in charge of the Abu Gharib prison. yet it was not sued. The CIA interrogation process was also traumatic for the prisoners (Fisk). Amidst all other losses and turmoil the US- Iraq war has caused, Iraq is the worst sufferer. Already bleeding from The Gulf wars, conflict with neighboring Arab nations like Iran, Turkey, etc, the recent war has shaken everything that was left in the country. Besides these, the scenario was far more worsened. During the dictatorship of Saddam Hussaein Iraq’s socio- economic and political situations is presently in worst possible stage. Almost two million Iraqis have either fled to other parts of the globe. Another 1.5 million civilians moved within the country. (Steele, and Goldenberg). Despite of being the winner, US too were at a loss. It had to bear huge expenditure to carry on the war in Iraq. Transportation of troop, armaments and other resources, war campaigns, monetary borrowings from other countries, retarded growth and lesser investments, compensating death casualties and to the injured, strain of maintaining sound political standpoint from global perspective, etc, in the long term, has deeper impacts on US economy (BBC News). References "BBC NEWS | Americas | 'Hidden costs' raise US war price." BBC News - Home. Last modified November 13, 2007. Accessed November 29, 2012. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7092053.stm. Benson, Pam. "CIA director: Tapes of interrogations destroyed - CNN.com." CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. Last modified December 7, 2007. Accessed November 29, 2012. http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/06/cia.videotapes/. Fisk, Robert. "The Things Bush Didn’t Say in His Speech » Counterpunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names." Counterpunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names. Last modified May 26, 2004. Accessed November 29, 2012. http://www.counterpunch.org/2004/05/26/the-things-bush-didn-t-say-in-his-speech/. Steele, Jonathan, and Suzanne Goldenberg. "What is the real death toll in Iraq? Jonathan Steele and Suzanne Goldenberg report | World news | The Guardian." Latest US news, world news, sport and comment from the Guardian | guardiannews.com | The Guardian. Last modified March 18, 2009. Accessed November 29, 2012. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/19/iraq. Weller, Mark. Iraq and the Use of Force in International Law. UK: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print. Spratt, John et al. Growing Budgetary Costs of the Iraq war: hearing Before the Committee on the House of Representatives. Pennsylvania: DIANE Publishing.2009. Print. Read More